How to Pursue Your Passions and Make a Living

​Is it truly possible to pursue your passions and earn a living at the same time? The answer is a resounding yes. If you dream of leaving a job that you find depressing and boring to become a painter, or pick up your college writing career, then now might be the time to do it! Sure, you might be going through the motions at work just to pay the bills, and be good at it, but if you aren't true to yourself and your passions, then the chances are that you could be affecting your long-term mental health too. So if you dream of quitting your desk job, then its time to make your passions a reality.​

Act like a kidFirstly, its time for you to go back in time, way back to when you were a kid and start remembering what you loved to do, from playing an instrument to designing your own clothes. As we grow up and go through school and college, you may have found that those dreams and desires became crushed, or fell by the wayside due to peer pressure or demands from your family and relatives. Well, now’s the time to unleash your inner child and let those passions out! It’s unhealthy to bottle up your dreams, so stop reminiscing and start welcoming back your creative thoughts and ideas.

Business savvyOnce you’ve worked out what you want to do, its time to get business savvy and start investing in your passions. If you thought investment depended solely on your bank balance, then you will be relieved to know that you don’t need to rely entirely on cash to get your ideas off of the ground. You are going to need to be prepared to do your homework and invest your spare time in launching a new venture, or studying a course if you want to break free and go it alone. Firstly, why not check out what courses or free events are on offer in your local area? You may be surprised at the number of small business owners who were once just like you, and meet up for regular networking events. These are a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and bounce ideas around. Its’ time to be smart and use what’s at your fingertips too – so start by using the Internet to do your research and make your plans concrete. There are a wealth of courses available online, from sites such as Coursera, that are free once you sign up. Plus, you can even earn a qualification from recognized universities and international bodies too.

Get onlineRemember, social media will become your best friend if you are launching your own brand or concept. If you aren’t familiar with Instagram or have never made a Tweet, then you need to be prepared to go digital. Again, don’t be shy when it comes to asking for help to better understand and improve your use of social media to support your passion. From blogs to Tedtalks, there is a wealth of information out there that can help you to carve out your individual brand and ideas. Next, you will need to start thinking about building engagement and gaining more followers. Now, if you thought that this requires being online 24/7 then think again! You can invest in specialized software and tools to schedule your posts and help you to track your analytics too. Finally, don’t be afraid to look to forums and chat rooms for instant tips and tricks. You may be surprised by what you find – plus it will help your learning also.

Be prepared to failIt might sound harsh, but when you are starting out, it's almost a guaranteed that you will stumble and slip up along the way. However, it's up to you as to how you use your negative experiences for the better. Of course, you are bound to make mistakes in business, but wallowing in them and feeling down for months won’t help you to pursue your passions. It’s important to accept that you can’t be a perfectionist at this stage. Yes, you might want everything to go perfectly, but there are some things such as suppliers or the market, that are outside of your small bubble of control. So relax, and pick yourself up.

Firm FinancesIf you truly want to follow your passions, then you need to get serious about money too. You won’t realistically be able to quit your job and set up your own firm without having some serious collateral behind you. Therefore you should start small before aiming for bigger and better things. There are a variety of ways for you to be saving money, so be sure to pick the right option for you. From cutting back on your shopping sprees and monthly luxuries to investing in online stocks and shares or even bitcoin, its time to think with a business brain and begin working your finances. Alternatively, you may want to explore the range of small business loans that are available to you, but do watch out for the interest rate or any hidden bank charges, as these can be hard to factor in during the first few months of a new business. Remember to ask for help if you need it, as it can be tough to navigate and understand the complicated world of finance.

Congratulations! You’ve decided to break free and follow your passions. Take time to brainstorm your new ideas and re-connect with your inner child to make sure that you are truly following your lifelong goals. Make the most of what’s available to you online, and for free, to improve your understanding and be sure to invest enough time and energy in social media also. Don’t worry about failure, as this will help your learning’s along the way – and enable your business to grow. Finally, start thinking about the amount of cash that you need to fund and grow your passions as this will enable you to follow your dreams.